The Early Radio London Fab Forties
Sunday 13th February 1966

19th Nervous Breakdown? No, just a bad hair day for Mick. Although the Stones had made a magnificant leap of 21 places up the Big L Fab 40, they were still being outdone in the songwriting stakes by Lennon and McCartney. Two versions of 'Girl' held #11, two recordings of 'Michelle' were at #26 and 'Woman' – which is credited to 'Harry Webb', a name Paul McCartney purloined from Cliff Richard – was new in at #37. Even Cilla's #20 had 'Yesterday' on its B-side!

Dusty's 'Little by Little' is not the 1964 B-side of 'Not Fade Away' written by Jagger/Richards. Dusty's 'Little by Little' was penned by Buddy Kaye and Bea Verdi, who also co-wrote her '65 success, 'In the Middle of Nowhere'.

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19th Nervous Breakdown Rolling Stones
4
2
These Boots Are Made For Walkin' Nancy Sinatra
2
3
A Groovy Kind Of Love Mindbenders
6
4
You Didn't Have To Be So Nice Lovin' Spoonful
9
5
I Can't Express It David Ballantyne
13
6
Tomorrow Sandie Shaw
17
7
Uptight (Everything's Alright) Stevie Wonder
29
8
My Love Petula Clark
14
9
Sha La La La Lee Small Faces
19
10
Little By Little Dusty Springfield
15
11
Girl St Louis Union / Truth
12
12
Have Pity On The Boy Paul & Barry Ryan
3
13
Don't Make Me Over Swinging Blue Jeans
16
14
This Golden Ring Fortunes
11
15
Call Me Lulu
37
16
Land Of 1000 Dances Cherokees
32
17
Barbara Ann Beach Boys
28
18
Cry Cry Cry Riot Squad
8
19
Second Hand Rose Barbra Streisand
5
20
Love's Just A Broken Heart Cilla Black
26
21
Can't Help Thinking About Me David Bowie & the Lower Third
23
22
A Little Bit Of Soap Craig / Exciters
23
Inside Looking Out Animals
24
Jenny Take A Ride Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels
25
Lightnin' Strikes Lou Christie
7
26
Michelle David & Jonathan / Overlanders
30
27
The Same Old Room Bobby Shafto
28
What Now My Love Sonny & Cher
29
Under Your Spell Again Johnny Rivers
30
Trouble Is My Middle Name Four Pennies
31
La La La Gerry & the Pacemakers
18
32
Mirror Mirror Pinkerton's Assorted Colours
1
33
Like A Baby Len Barry
34
Hold Tight Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick & Tich
34
35
You've Come Back P J Proby
36
You Don't Love Me Gary Walker
37
Woman Peter & Gordon
38
Never Let It Be Said Valerie Mitchell
39
Please Go Trekkas
40
Ever See A Diver Kiss His Wife While The Bubbles Bounce About Above The Water? Shirley Ellis

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This Golden Ring Fortunes

On February 15th at Wycombe Town Hall, the Knees Club signed up the Fortunes: Rod Allen (#86), Andy Brown (#87), Barry Pritchard, (#88) Glen Dale, (#89) and Dave Carr, (#90).This Golden Ring was not only on its way up The Fab Forty, but also the Nationals.

Peter Fenton & the Crowd, the Fortunes' support group, was also recruited to the KC. Backing vocalist Peter Fenton(#81), were Mike Jones (#82), Mick Maloney (#83), Nick Man (#84) and Ian Green (#85).

Peter Fenton was obliged to wait till October '66 to gain a solo chart entry with Marble Breaks, Iron Bends, the song adopted as a theme by Big L DJ Pete 'Dum Dum' Drummond (#37).

My Knees Club notes indicate that the Crowd released a single called Last Taxi to Brooklyn which failed to chart. Where I obtained this information, I do not know and I can find no more about it! A singer called Ian Green issued a solo single in '67 called Last Pink Rose and made recordings as Ian Green Revolution with Rosetta Hightower and Madeline Bell. However, it is unknown if this was the same Ian Green as our Knees Club member.




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A Little Bit Of Soap Craig Fontana TF 665

The two Fontana singles by Birmingham band Craig, (the second being I Must Be Mad) are highly collectable. A copy of A Little Bit of Soap was spotted for sale in February 2006 with an asking price of £200!

The reason for Craig's collectability, is the band's drummer, Carl Palmer, later of prog-rock superstars, Emerson, Lake & Palmer. The other members were lead vocalist Jeff Brown, Richard King, guitar, and Len Cox, bass.

According to Carl's official website, the band was called the King Bees when he joined at the age of 15, in 1965. At what stage the name changed to Craig and the reasoning behind the moniker, is not revealed. Both Craig singles came out in 1966 and Carl was not with the band for long, as he shifted his sticks to Chris Farlowe and the Thunderbirds at the age of 16. Another member of Craig has been listed elsewhere as Richard Pannell. As the name is not mentioned by Carl, Richard possibly joined the line-up after he left.

In 1968, Jeff Brown became vocalist with Galliard, which according to alexgitlin.com also included Richard Pannell. The site has a photo of six musicians from the 12-piece line-up, although individual members are not identified.

My favourite source of information on the net concerning Craig, is a page from a Spanish website, which Google has kindly translated into 'English' for our edification. This reveals that the singles were produced by Larry Page and describes Len Cox as a bear! The title of the single I Must Be Mad translates poetically into, 'I must be airborne magnetic detection'. Airborne Magnetic Detection sounds like a very good name for a heavy metal outfit!

(Click on the picture for an Amazon link to information about the Record Collector Rare Record Price Guide)


Disc of the Week:
Shapes of Things Yardbirds



Tune in next week for another Big L Fab 40!

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